A Delectable, Award-Winning Treat

At its core, The Incredible Book Eating Boy by Oliver Jeffers is a story that emphasizes knowledge is power. Combined with his captivating illustrations, it’s a message that resonated so well with both children and adults that the book sold more than 14 million copies worldwide. It’s been translated into more than 50 languages.

The Incredible Book Eating Boy consumed several awards. It captured the Channel 4 Richard & Judy Award in 2006, bestowed by Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan, a married couple who hosted a talk show in the UK. They introduced the “Richard and Judy Book Club,” similar to Oprah Winfrey’s famous club on her talk show. The couple named The Incredible Book Eating Boy its “Read of the Year” Award. The next year, it won the Children’s Junior Division at the Irish Book Awards and the CBI Bisto Book of the Year, emblematic of one of the top Children’s books written or illustrated by an Irish native or resident.

Jeffers, an Australian who currently lives in Northern Ireland, began his career as an artist before segueing into writing and illustrating books. Focusing his talents on curiosity and humor, Jeffers’ multi-faceted gifts run the artistic spectrum, from painting to illustration, to writing, to collage to sculpture. Jeffers’ artwork has been exhibited at museums all over the world, including The Brooklyn Museum in New York, The Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin, the National Portrait Gallery in London and the Palais Auersperg in Vienna.

Directed by H. Adam Harris, SCR’s Artistic and Audience Engagement Associate, The Incredible Book Eating Boy, book by Madhuri Shekar, music by Christian Magby, lyrics by Christian Albright and based on Jeffers’ book, runs Feb. 28-March 16 on the Julianne Argyros Stage.

Learn more about The Incredible Book Eating Boy.